CPN-Maoist trade union threatens to shut NST

KATHMANDU, DEC 18 -

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) affiliated All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) has threatened to close down the Nepal Satellite Telecom (NST), if the company does not re-appoint the workers removed forcefully. Over three dozen ex-workers of the company have been demanding their reinstatement.

Addressing a sit-in protest in front of the NST office at New Baneshwor, Chairman of the federation Ram Deep Acharya said the management had sacked workers against the law and that they would come up with a stringent protest programme to shut down the company unless their demand is met.

The sit-in was organised by the NST Chapter of All Nepal Communication, Printing and Publications’ Workers Union affiliated to the CPN-Maoist. On Monday, ex-workers had organised the sit-in from 12 noon to 1 pm in front of the NST office and from 1 pm to 2 pm at Ncell office, New Baneshwor.

Both Ncell and NST have investment from Sweden-based telecom company TeliaSonera. Nepal’s Muktishree Group, Bangladesh´s Sheba Telecom and Pakistan Mobile Communications are other promoters of NST which has been providing telecom services under the brand Hello Nepal. The company has been providing telecom services in the country’s mid-western region for the last five years.

About two weeks ago, a group of 40 workers led by engineer Birodh Kattel, an NST ex-employee, had handed over a memorandum to the management demanding immediate reinstatement of the expelled employees. NST ex-workers accused the company of forcing them to resign after their request for permanent appointment to those having spent two years on the job.

However, the NST management maintains that the workers had left the company upon receiving Rs 300,000 to Rs 3 million under the voluntary retirement scheme.

Source: The Kathmandu Post